CHILDREN'S CORNER

Grey River Argus, 22 June 1939, Page 10

CHILDREN'S CORNER

Jack Horner’s Plum Little Jack Horner sat in a corner Eating his Christmas pie; He stuck in his thumb And pulled out a plum, And said, "'What a good boy am I.” Composed during the reign of Henry VIII of England, this favourite nursery rhyme was originally a stinging political lampoon. Henry had claimed for himself the wealth of the Holy Catholic Church. On pain of confiscation and dire punishment the rich monastic properties were ordered into the private coffers of the king. The Archbishop of Glastonbury bowed to the inevitable, and deeds to 12 magnificent estates were sorrowfully placed within a great pie —this being a popular method of presenting gifts. John Horner was commissioned to place this fabulous bit of pastry in Henrv’s hands. When the emissary returned from court, he had with him the deed to Mells Park, Somersetshire, whose ancient stone buildings had been the favourite retreat of the Archbishop. The people refused the explanation that Homer had bought the property from the king. They believed that during the long trek to London, Horner’s cupidity had been tested beyond. its strength, and that the trusted gentleman had torn a hole in the pie’s crust and carefully removed the deed to Mells Park, which thus became Hie historic “Plum” of the jingle. And so -the old rhvme was written and sung lustily in derision of the theft. Edna S. Sollars in Coronet. Memories I have a busy squirrel mind That safely stores away The little nuts of memory It finds from day to day. So when the barren winter comes I do not care at all But nibble at my pile of nuts. And watch the snow flakes fall. —M. C. Addison. COMIC CUTS Tons of coloured comic sheets are stored at the Bush Terminal, Brooklyn, whence they are shipped to the west coast of Africa for sale to trading posts in the jungle. Traders wrap all purchases in the funnies, for the natives, won’t buy if ordinary wrap-ping-paper is Used, arifl their sales resistance falls in proportion to the amount of colour in the funnies. It is not uncommon to see a native striding through the bush, his eyes popping eagerly at the cavorbngs of Jiggs, or Tillie the Toiler.—Louis Sobol in N Y. Journal and American. y. Autumn The leaves have changed to butter-, .flies, That 'beat their wings against the skies, Then- flutter through the sparkling •??air To fling 'their beauty everywhere. Thehills arc each a leaping flame Thatmakes the sunset. blush for ■''•fshanie;And e’en* the lowly wayside clod "Unfurls its flag of golden-rod. —Vivian Laramore.